Description
This guide provides instructions for installing the AresMUSH codebase on a custom VPS server hosted by Third Generation. The AresMUSH codebase is not directly supported by Third Generation’s shared MU* hosting environments due to resource requirements, software dependencies, and root-level permissions needed to manage the game so AresMUSH requires the setup and configuration of a dedicated virtual server environment called a VPS to support its software ecosystem. You can purchase a VPS directly through Third Generation’s customer support site. Any level server option we offer should provide sufficient resources for an AresMUSH starting project and can be instantly upgraded as the project and database grow in the future.
Resources
1. AresMUSH Install Documentation – https://www.aresmush.com/tutorials/install
2. AresMUSH SSL Documentation – https://www.aresmush.com/tutorials/config/server.html
3. AresMUSH Game Documentation – https://www.aresmush.com/tutorials/manage
Installation
Purchase a Virtual Private Server (VPS) from Third Generation and select the Ubuntu 20.04 OS.
Log in to the root account of your server via SSH with the password provided in the VPS Account Welcome Email, then run the following commands to set up the server and AresMUSH:
I. Server Prerequisites.
apt install libhugetlbfs-bin
II. Server Installation
curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/aresmush/aresmush/master/bin/setup_server > setup_server
chmod +x setup_server
sudo ./setup_server
III. AresMUSH Installation
- This step requires that you log in to the "ares" account that was created during the Server Install script with the password provided at the bottom of the script output and run the following commands to install the AresMUSH codebase:
curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/aresmush/aresmush/master/bin/install > install
chmod +x install
./install
>>> Enter your MUSH's name when prompted
>>> Enter your server's hostname and domain name (FQDN) (e.g. aresmush.yourdomain.com)
>>> Select a telnet port when prompted
>>> Select a web socket port when prompted
>>> Select a engine API port when prompted
>>> Select a website port when prompted (default 80 should be used)
>>> The default database URL should be selected when prompted
>>> When prompted, enter the "ares" password so the install script can continue.- Upon successful installation, your game's telnet port and web portal should be accessible (e.g. http://hostname.yourdomain.com)
- You should proceed to follow the AresMUSH Game Guide to set up your admin account and any default configurations https://www.aresmush.com/tutorials/manage/started.html
Optional SSL Installation (Recommended)
This section provides instructions for setting up an SSL certificate for use with the AresMUSH web portal. Before beginning, the server hostname should be resolvable on the Internet so when peering with the certificate authority the hostname can be immediately validated. These instructions will setup automatic certificate renewal with the CA using a 90-day renewal schedule.
I. Run the following commands as root:
sed -i 's/use_https: false/use_https: true/g' /home/ares/aresmush/game/config/server.yml
snap install core; sudo snap refresh core
apt-get remove certbot
snap install --classic certbot
ln -s /snap/bin/certbot /usr/bin/certbot
certbot --nginx
>>> Enter your email address when prompted
>>> Agree to the Terms of Service
>>> Option 1) Select your server hostname (e.g. hostname.yourdomain.com)
II. Run the following commands as the "ares" user:
cd ~/aresmush
bin/certs <YOUR FULLY QUALIFIED HOSTNAME HERE> (e.g. aresmush.thirdhosting.com)
sudo reboot If you have selected to use an externally registered domain name or register a new domain name in the future with a third-party provider, you will want to update your DNS A Records at your current provider using their local DNS management system to point to your server's new IP address prior to beginning this step. For your convenience, we do offer an extremely affordable and advanced DNS management solution that can be purchased through our website if DNS management is required. Our advanced DNS management solution simplifies domain management and reduces resource usage in the event your third-party domain provider does not offer a direct DNS management strategy and you do not wish to install and maintain a complex DNS service solution on your server locally.
Optional Reverse Proxy Setup
If you have followed these instructions, your server should reboot shortly and once restarted your AresMUSH codebase should startup automatically within a few minutes of the system services restarting. Your game’s web portal will be accessible from https://servername.yourdomain.com (e.g. aresmush.thirdhosting.com). For customers looking to customize this web address such as https://www.yourdomain.com or https://www.yourdomain.com/play, please consider purchasing an additional web hosting package through Third Generation and submit a support ticket to request to have yourdomain.com reverse proxied to serve your game’s web portal content directly without the additional address complications of routing traffic to the hostname address. Reverse proxying the address through our managed web services has several advantages such as additional third-party software support, geographical DNS aggregation services, email services, forwarding redirection, firewall protection, and load balancing.
Troubleshooting
If your game does not automatically restart after a system reboot, first check your game logs at /home/ares/aresmush/game/logs to determine the cause.
To determine which ports and services are currently active, run the following command:
netstat -anlp | grep LISTEN
You should see your web portal (default 80), HTTPS port if configured (443), and telnet ports (default 4201).
In the event you do not see these ports running, you can attempt to restart them manually as "ares" by logging in and running the following command.
./onboot.sh
